'General information on Persia for any future edition, 1895' [‎103r] (195/211)

Appendix H.
TRADE GENERALLY.
Astrabad. —At Astrabad there were only half a dozen miserable shops only
occasionally open with no appearance of prosperity. I could only buy felts with
the greatest difficulty. 1 here were no carpets to be got.
Turkoman country. —In the Turkoman country each hut had its samovar,
and also tea and sugar. They carried on their trade through pedlars. Generally
speaking, they seemed well off.
Bujnurd and Kuchan. —At both these places there was a brisk trade and
numerous shops well stocked with Russian and English goods, mainly chintzes
from Russia, calico from Manchester and Bombay, sugar and hardware from
Russia, and matches from Austria.
At Kuchan I saw numerous camels with cotton from Subzawar. On the
Kuchan-Mashad road there was a steady flow of through traffic. During the
three days I took over the journey, I counted 25 arabas and perhaps 200 or^ 300
mules and donkeys, chiefly the latter. Later on the traffic is much greater,
but there is no question that the pilgrim traffic in Persia is much greater than
that of commerce.
Mashad. —At Mashad there was a good deal of activity. The new Con
sulate is a very fine building, a long way the best in Mashad. The Russians
are naturally rather envious. As far as I can see, we are certain in any case
to keep a large share in the Khorasan trade, as tea, indigo, and spices they must
always get from us, while muslin is still our monopoly. The Russians by paying
a bounty of course oust the French sugar, but I was told that they lost heavily,
as large quantities were smuggled back and sold in Turkistan. One advantage
of having a Consul General will be that the moment the bounty stops, we can
send up sugar from Bombay, which has, I believe, been already done.
S'hari/abad. —On the Tehran road there was much more traffic than on the
Kuchan road. At Sharifabad I saw many strings of camels laden with sugar
(Russian), probably from the Caspian, and tea (Indian).
Once off the Tehran road, there was very little traffic. I met a few camels
from Birjand with carpets. I also met an Armenian doctor on his way back from
Sistan. I asked him as to Lieutenant Napier’s health, at which he was much
disconcerted. Also met donkeys laden with skins and tobacco.
Turbat-i-Haidari. —The trade of Turbat is brisk, but chiefly local.
Between Turbat and Jumain I only met one caravan of donkeys laden with
skins and a very few pilgrims. At Jumain there were a few shops with local
produce and two dyers with indigo.
Kalat. —Kalat is a silk-growing district; its produce is bought by Yazd
merchants. I saw no through traffic as far as Tun.
Tun. —From Tun onwards to Naiband I met only pilgrims. Two of them
said they came from Berber (?) towards Afghanistan. They came and salaamed
when they heard I was an English officer.
Duhuk .—At Duhuk they told me that the main caravan route was by Tun
(not by Bushruyeh), but that there was very little through traffic, only pilgrims.
At Naiband they said exactly the same.
Naiband Abid. —At Abid I met some Arabs. After persistently beggin^
for half an hour, they made a high bid of £$ or £\ for my servant’s revolver!
and then recommenced begging. They apparently did not think their conduct
inconsistent.